Presidential elections were held in
South Ossetia on 10 November 1996.[1] The result was a victory for the incumbent head of state
Lyudvig Chibirov, who received 52% of the vote.[2]
Background
This was the first election in the region since the
1990 Georgian Supreme Soviet election before the collapse of the USSR and Georgian independence. Since prior to the region's breakaway in 1991, the head of state's title had been 'Chairman of the Presidium of the South Ossetian Supreme Council', a role equivalent to
Speaker, and there had been three officeholders since the declaration of independence:
Torez Kulumbegov from 1990 to his imprisonment in 1991, then
Znaur Gassiev who held the role during Torez's imprisonment in 1991–1992, before Torez returned to the position in 1992; he was succeeded in 1993 by Lyudvig Chibirov, who held office until 1996 when the
Parliament of South Ossetia issued a series of amendments to the constitution which created a new presidential form of government.[3]
Results
Chibirov was elected with 52% of the vote, meaning no runoff was required. Gerasim Khugayev finished second with 24% while three other candidates collectively received 24% of the vote.
Georgian President
Eduard Shevardnadze stated that the elections "cannot be considered legitimate", but said that the peace process "should go ahead".[1]
^Ian Jeffries (2003) The Caucasus and Central Asian Republics at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century: A Guide to the Economies in Transition, Routledge
Presidential elections were held in
South Ossetia on 10 November 1996.[1] The result was a victory for the incumbent head of state
Lyudvig Chibirov, who received 52% of the vote.[2]
Background
This was the first election in the region since the
1990 Georgian Supreme Soviet election before the collapse of the USSR and Georgian independence. Since prior to the region's breakaway in 1991, the head of state's title had been 'Chairman of the Presidium of the South Ossetian Supreme Council', a role equivalent to
Speaker, and there had been three officeholders since the declaration of independence:
Torez Kulumbegov from 1990 to his imprisonment in 1991, then
Znaur Gassiev who held the role during Torez's imprisonment in 1991–1992, before Torez returned to the position in 1992; he was succeeded in 1993 by Lyudvig Chibirov, who held office until 1996 when the
Parliament of South Ossetia issued a series of amendments to the constitution which created a new presidential form of government.[3]
Results
Chibirov was elected with 52% of the vote, meaning no runoff was required. Gerasim Khugayev finished second with 24% while three other candidates collectively received 24% of the vote.
Georgian President
Eduard Shevardnadze stated that the elections "cannot be considered legitimate", but said that the peace process "should go ahead".[1]
^Ian Jeffries (2003) The Caucasus and Central Asian Republics at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century: A Guide to the Economies in Transition, Routledge